The invention relates to a relay and, more specifically, to a relay designed with integral parts to simplify assembly, reduce manufacturing costs, and increase strength.
A relay is an electromagnetically actuated, electrical switch. Conventional relays commonly require a wide variety of components, many of which have similar features. As a result of the magnitude of components required in the conventional relay, the costs and assembly time associated with the manufacture of the conventional relay are extensive.
One example of a conventional relay is disclosed in DE 198 04 572 A1. The relay has a coil base member, a cover, a spring system and a magnet system. The coil base member is made of an electrically insulating material and comprises a base member connected to a coil member. The magnet system has a coil, a yoke and a tilting armature. The coil is a cylindrical hollow member with a rectangular internal cross section corresponding to a cross section of the yoke and has a collar at a free end. The spring system has at least one release spring, one switching spring and one operating spring. The release spring, switching spring and operating spring have an integral foot with a depth end stop, a locking device and at least one contact tongue of one-piece construction that may be inserted into insert slits in the base member. At least one armature spring is constructed in one piece with one of the springs and is arranged parallel thereto. A comb couples the tilting armature and the switching spring. The cover has stops for positioning the release and operating springs and for covering the relay.
Because the number of components and features used in the relay heightens cost, it is desirable to provide a relay having a limited amount of components to decrease manufacturing and assembly costs and increase overall strength.
In a first embodiment, a relay has a coil base member. The coil base member has a base member and a coil member integrally connected. The base member having an upper side, side faces and a bottom surface. The coil member having inner sides. The coil base member having a side opening that extends from the inner sides of the coil member to the upper side of the base member and to the side faces and bottom surface of the base member.
In an alternate embodiment, a relay has a coil base member and a magnet system. The coil base member has a base member and a coil member. The magnet system has a coil, a yoke and a tilting armature. The yoke has a yoke web, upper yoke cross-bars and lower yoke cross-bars. The tilting armature has an armature web, upper armature cross-bars and lower armature cross-bars. The titling armature and the yoke are formed such that the tilting armature and the yoke are mirror-inverted when in an installation position for installment in the coil base member.
In an alternate embodiment, a relay has a coil base member, a magnet system and a spring system. The coil base member has a base member and a coil member. The magnet system has a coil, a yoke and a tilting armature. The spring system has a release spring, a switching spring, and an operating spring each having an integral foot element having a locking device that fixes the foot element in the base member.